Lessons From The CMT Video Awards

 

Marilyn and I got to sit down in front of the TV on Monday night to watch the CMT Video Awards Show.  I have to say that it was certainly impressive.  Heck, even if country isn’t your thing, they even had Snoop Dog (even though the crowd of country folk nearly “booed” him off the stage!). 

 

But as I was watching, a thought crossed my mind….Why is it that millions tuned in and thousands attended a country music show but churches all across America run an average Sunday attendance of around 50?  Here are three observations I picked up on:

 

1. The show had flow!  There was no such thing as down time.  Every person in the entertainment business understands that people will lose interest very quickly.  If they lose interest in what you have to offer, they’ll probably go somewhere else!  So churches…let’s cut out all of the unnecessary distractions and dead spaces in our services.  We’re opening for the biggest star of them all….THE BRIGHT AND MORNING STAR!
2. ENERGY!  Ok…watch the people in your church on Sunday.  I’m willing to guess that it’s almost impossible to get folk to stand during songs, scream [in a positive way] at the preacher, or clap a hand or shed a tear during a great song.  CMT understands the power of lighting, props, animation from the performers, and a passion in their presentation.  Isn’t it time the church joined them?  We should be so pumped to be serving Christ if heaven is waiting and abundant living is promised us here on earth as well!
3. Goods in the box!  If you’re going to package your service to appeal to others, then PLEASE make sure that your message has substance!  Millions of people watched last night because the songs had substance.  They could relate to the messages that they were hearing.  Shouldn’t our worship songs and sermons even have more substance than the CMT Video Awards Show?

In closing, God’s got some great things for the church….if we would ever begin loving people instead of our religion.  Jesus loved folks enough to go to them on their terms and show them a better way.  How is your church doing at going to them?